"I am going to Inter. It is a life choice," Chivu told a news conference at Roma's training ground.

"I would like to be remembered as a good lad. I have spent four marvelous years here, full of satisfaction."

The Rome-based club said in a statement that the transfer is worth $21.8million in addition to Inter defender Marco Andreolli moving the other way in a shared ownership deal.

Chivu was on the verge of joining Real Madrid, but the deal fell through after the Spanish champions rejected the Romanian's salary demands.